Field wagon and unloading apparatus



June 12, 1928.

1,673,466 J. MASON FIELD WAGON AND UNLOADING APPARATUS File Dec. 4, 1926 3 Sh ts-Sheet 1 E r I I1! June 12, 1928. 1,673,466

A. J. MASON FIELD WAGON AND UNLOADING APPARATUS June 12, 1928. A. J. MASON FIELD WAGON AND UNLOADING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 4, 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet Patented June 12, 1928.

UN STATES, PATENroFFics', 7

ARTHUR J'..MASON, OF HOMEWOOD, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR ,TO MASON ALFALI EA PROCESS COMPANY, A oonroanrrou or DELAWARE.

FIELD WAGON Ann UNLOADING APPAR'A'IUS.

A lication filed Decemher 4, 192 [Serial 16, %?5,

This invention relates to improvements in field Wagon and unloading apparatus, and more especially to such a Wagon and apparatus particularly adapted for use in connection with the harvesting of crops 'pre-' paratory to drying, desiccating,or curing the same.

In my copending patent application Serial No. 129,986, filed August- 18, 1926, I disclosed apparatus and process for automatic'ally and continuously forming an endless mat of substantially uniform texture, thickne ss, density and permeability, In the/pram tice of the invention there disclosed, such a mat formed of the out crop is passed usually through adrying oven resting upon a conveyor. The conveyor is "more or less porous and as it passes through the oven a drying agent is circulated through the mat. In another patent application about to be filed or co-pending, I treated more particularly of a such drying oven; and in another patent application about to be filed or (to-pending;

i I treated more aarticularly of a furnace use in such an oven. p

In the presentpatent application, I disclose a field agon especially adapted for receiving the crop as it is cut in the "f eld and conveyingit' to the mat making machine Where, in connection "with unloading appa ratus, the contents of theivago'n are-quickly ancleasily unloaded onto thefhonvelyor or te' ederbf the mat making machine. One of the features of my inventionis the provisionof such a: field wagon that may be easily loaded, hauled, and unloaded; Other features and advautagesof my invention will appear more fullyas I- proceed With my specification. In that form of device embodying the tea tures of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, Fig. l is a view in side elevation of theunloading platform showing a field Wagon thereon drawn in broken lines, Fig. 2 is a top plan viewot the unloading plat-form, Figs 3 is a view in side elevation of the field Wagon, and Fig. 4 is a view taken as indicated by the line 4 of Fig. 3. i

As shown in the drawings, 1Q indicates the conveyor or feeder ofa mat'malring machine (not shown) For example, such mat making machine may be as disclosed in my coadapted for furnishing a drying agent for pending patent application Serial No. 129,986, filedAugust 18,1926. Asshovvn in Fig s. 1 and 2 the direction of movement of the conveyor or feeder 1O isindicated by the arrows. In the formation of a Inat,'the cut crop is deposited on the conveyor whereupon it is conveyed into the mat male ng machine. I

The present invention deals moreparticw 'larly with the agon adaptedto transport the crop from the 'fi-eld Where cut to the mat making machine, and the means for unloading the' crop from the wagon onto the conveyor 10. Although, I haye shown the vagon particularly adaptedlor use inconnectioli with the cutting ofcrops, Il IIS to be understood that thesame'is capableiof many other uses; and likewise, instead of deposit ing thecroponto the conveyor of a mat making machine, the contentsofthe Wagonv may be unloaded onto other apparatus or. deposited for storage. i 3

At the point'where the field Wagonis to be, unloaded there is preferably provided raised platform 11, although, if desired,the unloading can take place: on theflevel, In the event'a raised platform 11 is provided, thereis also preferably provideda receiving ramp I2 atone end and a discharge ramp 13, at the other end. I i

The field WiLQQIl itself comprises any sait- I able chassis or jirame 14 supported on heels.

I have here shown twoback Wheels 15,15

and a pair ofiront heels 16, 16 mounted on a front axle rotatable in the usual manner about the vertical axis 18 indicates the usualtong'uehy which the Wagon may be dijau n. For exampld'Ihave foundit desirable to haul theivagon by means of slimetor, attaching the sameto the rear end of i i the tractor by the tongue 18. f i a i uitab up r an the has is or frame 14; is a 'rectangularbox 19 formed of sheet steel or other suitable inaterialj. floor of the agonboa consists ofthe upper span, of an endless ConyeyorQO whichris transversely arranged The conyeyor preferably consists of chains QQfjoined by a series or. angle ironlslats 21, as shown. e an e e s nr er b y have th etter rihor flange folded upvv'ardly'at each end aga stt e, as indicated by 2 The ends of theangle iron slats are joined to the chains by means of the bolts 21'. The upper strand of the conveyor is supported at each side by means of the tracks or guides 21, whichthe chains rest upon.

In Fig. 4 the direction of movement of theconveyor is shownbythearrow; but it is to be understood that the conveyor does not'm'ove except during the unloading operation.

The two ends of the conveyor are suitably supported at the sides'of'the wagon by meansof the drums 22 and 23 respectively, the former acting as an idler and the latter provided at oneend with a pinion 24.

1 At the discharge side of the wa on "there islprovided'a door 25 hinged at'its upper edgeto the bar 26] That is, the hinged or swinging door 25 virtually formsth'e side ofthe wagon at the discharge side. The door'is heavy enough so that it retains the crop in the wago'nuntil the conveyor 20 is operated'to discharge the same. I I

At the point of discharge, there is provided a gear wheel 261whichjis here shown as adapted tor. continuous rotation. "Any suitable means, not shown, may be provided for driving thegear wheel 26. 'jThe 'gear wheel 26 'is'carried on' a shaft 26,one end ofwhichis in turn supported by a lever 2T,andis arranged so that when the field wagon is spotted for unloading, the lever .27 may be moved to bring the gear wheel v 26 into mesh with the gear wheel 24. The

other end of the shaft'26 is supported in a bearing 26, suiiicieritjlooseness' being provided to permit movenient of the other {end of'the shaft by the lever 27 to cause the gears 24 and 26 toiinesh. In the use of the wagonas here shown, the same is adapted to be unloaded when on] the platform 11 opposite the end of the conveyor or feeder 10.

7 On the platform 11, there isalso provided asupporting ro1ler28 adapted to receive the lower end of a vertical post 29 on the rear corner of the field wagon'adjacent the discharge side. .When the wagon is spotted in position forunloading the post 29 rests on the roller 28 so that when the gears 24 and 26 are engaged, downward movement of this corner of the field wagon is prevented.

- 'Iirthc' unloading operatiom the conveyor moves inthe direction indicated by the arrow in Fig.4, thusmoving the crop toward the discharge side. The door is pushed outwardly by movement of the crop in the position indicated by, the hrokenlines, whereupon the crop issues from the wagon onto the conveyor 10 and is carried to the mat making, machine (not shown). Obvi ously, upon issuing from the wagon any other dispositionof the contents thereof may be made as desired. Thedischarge ramp 13 of the platform 11 run off to the side.

unloaded, the same is prefera ly removed from the unloading platform by pushing or bumping it out of the way by the tractor bringing in another loaded wa on.

When-the'unloaded wagon 1s pushed off of the platform 11 it runs down the ramp 13 and 'the'endof thetongue l8 lying between. the rails 30, 30, operates to hold the front wheels 16 straight so tha'tit will not Its momentum carries it some distance beyond the platform 11, a

sufiicient distance so that the tractor bringing in' the .newly loaded wagon can leave the platform, pass around the same and pick it up to take it out to the field.

.While I have shown and described certain embodiments of my invention, it is to he understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed in theappend ed ,claim s,,.in which it is. 'my intention to claim all novelty inherentin my invention as broadly as possible in view of the prior art.

gear wheel at the discharge point; means for meshing saidv gear wheels; a supporting roller at the discharge point; and a bar on the wagon adapted to rest on said support ing roller when the wagon is in discharging position. q

2. A wagon and unloading apparatus of the character described comprising; a frame; supporting wheels carrying said frame; a box' carried by said frame; two drums carried by said frame at the sides "of said wagon; an endlessconveyor carried by said drums and forming the bottom of said box;

a gear wheel on one of saiddrnms; araised two rear wheels and two front wheels carry mg said frame, sald front wheels being mounted on a rotatable axle with a tongue; a raised unloading platform at the discharge point; a receiving ramp and adischarge ramp leading to and from said unloading platform respectively; and guide means on the discharge ramp adapted to engage the end of the tongue of the wagon to guide it in descendingthe discharge ramp.

5. A wagon and unloading apparatus of the character described comprising; a frame; supporting wheels carrying said frame; a box carried by said frame; two drums carried by said frame at the sides of said said frame, said front wheels being wagon; an endlessconveyor carried by said drums and forming the bottom of said box, a gear wheel on one of said drums; another gear wheel at the discharge point; means for meshing said gear wheels; a supporting roller at the discharge point; and a part on the wagon adapted to rest on said supporting roller when the wagon is in discharging position.

6. A wagon and unloading apparatus of the character described comprising; a frame;

supporting wheels carrying said frame; a

box carried by said frame; two drums carried by said frame at the sides of said wagon; an endless conveyor carried by said drums and forming the bottom of said box, a gear wheel on one of said drums; another gear wheel at thedischarge point; means for meshing said gear wheels; a supporting roller at the discharge point; and a part on the wagon substantially below said gear wheels adapted to rest on said supporting roller when the wagon is in discharging position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of November A. D. 1926. i i

ARTHUR J. MASON. 

